Featured – Showbams

PHOTOS: NO, Yann Tiersen at The Regency Ballroom 6/17

June 20, 2014 by tom dellinger Leave a Comment

NO performing at The Regency Ballroom

Yann Tiersen with NO //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
June 17th, 2014 //

Featured earlier this year at Noise Pop, NO returned to San Francisco on Tuesday night as they opened for Yann Tiersen at The Regency Ballroom. Playing to a near capacity crowd, the band focused on their most recent release, El Prado. Large, expansive sound is typical of their style as they comfortably rolled through their set and no doubt picked up many new fans along the way.

Breton multi-instrumentalist Tiersen served up a sonic journey that covered a broad range. A long history of film scores behind him, he’s possibly best known here for his soundtrack on the film, Amélie. Supporting his most recent release, Infinity, it was a night of rich, multi-layered soundscapes.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: NO, The Regency Ballroom, Yann Tiersen

Sage Francis gives positive vibes among politically-charged rhymes

June 19, 2014 by Marc Fong Leave a Comment

By Marc Fong //

Sage Francis with B. Dolan //
The Independent – San Francisco
June 16th, 2014 //

Paul “Sage” Francis was, per usual, full of high energy at The Independent on Monday. The hip-hop artist appeared in his Sage Francis cape (it’s a flag with the Li(f)e album cover). He wore a ball cap that he took off a couple songs in. He also sported a veil of spiky black hair, which he took off later in the set, revealing his glorious bald head with black sharpie lines that feigned a comb over.

Ever the animated spitter, he crossed the stage what felt like a million times to make sure he addressed everyone. He emits a positive vibe, even though his lyrics are politically charged and thought-provoking. He plays up to and with the crowd, at one point getting lost in the flame of a fan’s lighter, and another fan held up his fake leg at one point.

Touring in support his new record Copper Gone (listen below), it was a pretty rad show, with B. Dalton fully delivering as the opener. One of the most important lessons of the night still lingers in the air: “Slow and steady wins the race fuckface.”

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: B. Dolan, Sage Francis, The Independent

Treasure Island 2014 trends toward indie dance-pop

June 17, 2014 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Treasure Island, CA
October 18-19, 2014 //

Dance-oriented pop is taking over music festival curation, while rock is beginning to die a slow death when it comes to Bay Area festival lineups. Overall, this appears to be the trend for Treasure Island Music Festival in the San Francisco Bay.

While the daily lineups haven’t been announced yet, the upbeat dance acts for Saturday and the rock-oriented Sunday performers were easy to divvy up at this point in past years. It appears this line has been blurred significantly. Sure alt-J, TV On The Radio, The New Pornographers, White Denim and The Growlers seem like solid bets for the traditional day of rest, if past years hold true, but who will headline Sunday between OutKast and Massive Attack? Rap acts have always seen the stage on Saturday, so we’re thinking OutKast is a lock for Saturday.

And speaking of the first rap headliner in Treasure Island Music Festival history, San Francisco proper will get a visit from the ATLiens after their highly successful headline set in Napa a few weeks back. Since catching their stride, 3 Stacks and Big Boi have been murdering large crowds across the globe with a mix of hits, old favorites and a smattering of solo material. So, go re-learn the “Roses” dance for what is sure to be the peak of energy on the island. Also with Janelle Monáe on the bill, expect at least one special guest appearance for the Big-Boi produced “Tightrope”.

READ OUR REPORT FROM TIMF 2013

2014 breakout acts Jungle, Banks and Chet Faker, all of whom recently played sold out shows at the Independent in SF, are remarkably high on the bill, but odds are they will be in the perfect slot come October. If you haven’t heard of Jungle yet, they performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and crushed it. Emerging acts that can catalyze ticket sales are an increasingly important premium when curating a festival lineup, hence Jungle & Banks’ mid-to-upper lineup position.

Female acts are never appropriately represented based on the statistical division of sexes at a festival, but TIMF has done a great job of lessoning the gap this year. Janelle Monáe, The New Pornographers, St. Lucia, Banks, Jungle, MØ, Poliça and more will be at the Festival on the Bay come October.

alt-J played at Bottom of the Hill in December 2012, and here they are as a prime sub-headliner. The response to the recent announcement of their second album and tour behind it shows that this makes sense.

The New Pornographers also announced a brand new album recently, and they’ll be returning to the bay via TIMF with original members Neko Case and Dan Bejar from Destroyer.

There may be less rock in the vein of Interpol, The Strokes and Parquet Courts than past years, but there is no doubt this lineup is loaded with fun, upbeat acts. What are you most excited to see at TIMF 2014?

2-Day GA, VIP tickets and Parking Passes On Sale Thursday, June 19th at 10AM PT!

OutKast
Massive Attack
Zedd
alt-J
TV On the Radio
Janelle Monáe
The New Pornographers
Washed Out
St. Lucia
Banks
Jungle
White Denim
MØ
Poliça
The Growlers
Classixx
Chet Faker
Ryan Hemsworth
Ana Tijoux
Asgeir
Xxyyxx
Ratking
Tobacco
Bleached
Painted Palms
Waters

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alt-J, Ana Tijoux, Asgeir, Banks, Bleached, Chet Faker, Classixx, Janelle Monáe, Jungle, Massive Attack, MO, OutKast, Painted Palms, Poliça, Ratking, Ryan Hemsworth, St. Lucia, The Growlers, The New Pornographers, Tobacco, Treasure Island Music Festival, TV on the Radio, Washed Out, Waters, White Denim, Xxyyxx, Zedd

BottleRock 2014: Don’t call it a comeback

June 11, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Photos by Tom Dellinger // Written by Mike Frash, Molly Kish & Kevin Quandt //

BottleRock Napa Valley //
Napa County Fairgrounds – Napa, CA
May 30th-June 1st, 2014 //

Never has a festival jumped onto the ‘90s nostalgia train as BottleRock Napa Valley 2014 did. Curated largely around bands that peaked more than a decade ago — including The Cure, Weezer, Blues Traveler, Third Eye Blind, Barenaked Ladies, Smashmouth & LL Cool J — it was easy to wonder if aiming for an older demographic made sense when it’s largely youngsters that are feeding the current festival boom.

So was this a smart move for a festival in the heart of wine country? Damn straight it was.

The Napa Valley location screams “destination-event” for folks 15-years into building their 401K, helping to feed the local economy in a serious rebound year. But it’s dangerous to throw all the musical eggs into such a narrow basket. Enter OutKast, the festival booking of the summer, and other strategically-placed artist options that appeal beyond mainstream radio. Year two has proved that BottleRock Napa Valley is eclectic in a way that is truly their own.

In the words of LL Cool J, don’t call it a comeback, as the third iteration of BRNV has already been announced. Now that opinions have settled and the wine stains have been removed, here are our top five sets of the weekend, along with a breakdown of BottleRock changes this year, for better or worse.

Top 5 Sets of the Weekend

The Cure
Robert Smith still has “it”. Simply put, the 50-something frontman is still the musical force he was well over 30 years ago, and he effortlessly proved that to a modest, yet passionate crowd. Being rewarded with the longest set of the weekend was no surprise and it was easily tackled by Smith and cohorts as they jumped seamlessly between slightly more obscure tracks such as “alt.end” or “Never Enough” and sing-along hits like “Lovesong” and “Friday I’m In Love”. “Before Three” was a hardcore-fan favorite as it has been considered a shining light on 2004’s self-titled and hadn’t been played on stage since the same year. All in all, this set was one massive treat for fans of The Cure as the superb sound, manageable crowd and intricate setlist added up to the undoubtable highlight set of the weekend. Hell, not even having the sound cut due to a strict curfew in the second encore during “Why Can’t I Be You?” could phase the band or crowd. -KQ

TV On The Radio
One of the more avant-garde sets of the weekend came from TVOTR as they rocked a mid-sized Friday afternoon crowd. Many attendees were camping out for The Cure and were treated to a twelve song barrage of hits and reconfigured favorites. Working the heat-stricken crowd, the band debuted three new songs off an album in the works, igniting a strong response from die-hard fans — two of which were played mid-set before launching full throttle into a stirring second half of their performance, including an spectacular punk rendition of “Staring at the Sun”, played at double the pace. Other highlight tracks included “Golden Age”, “Halfway Home” and an impressive delivery of “Wolf Like Me”, riveting the crowd to unleash their inner beasts. -MK

OutKast
Saturday clearly took the crown for busiest day in celebration of André 3000 & Big Boi’s reunion tour appearance, and disappoint they did not. Tightly produced and incident free, OutKast’s headlining set kept the fairgrounds bouncin’ and engaged, often relating between-song banter to the Bay Area. For anyone that attended the first weekend of Coachella, this was a redemption show. It was nearly the same set list and performance, but this time without the technical glitches and awkward stage presence of André 3000. While Big Boi is the consistent, poised professional, his partner is a bit of a wildcard, yet he shined bright this night. André 3000’s rhymes were clean and on point as he sported a jumpsuit with “I’ve never had F@cebook, Twitt@r or Inst@gram” written on it. The fairgrounds were alive all the way to the back, with virtually everyone vibing to the music. Overall, it was a winning return to Northern California, even though the Atlanta duo ended fifteen minutes early without an encore, disappointing many still hanging on every word from the last song of the night, “The Whole World”. -MF

Weezer
Weezer was the best example of a band well equipped to override the generational gaps of the weekend. Beyond the likes of Third Eye Blind, Weezer is arguably the most successful band on the bill in the context of career spanning, mainstream radio airplay. Even after playing through the set’s first song “My Name Is Jonas”, completely unaware they were absent of sound, Weezer still went on to perform one of the most memorable sets of the weekend. It was a near-perfect technical glitch, causing the main-stage audience to erupt into uproarious cheers once amplified sound returned. Pulling from their long list of hit singles, Weezer covered their entire body of work and even managed to mix in some band improvisation and cover songs. Highlights included Rivers Cuomo and Patrick Wilson switching instruments for “Photograph” and a cover of Blur’s “Song 2”, as well as Scott Shriner working the Primus hit “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver” into their self-titled album single, “Pork and Beans”. -MK

Deerhunter
“The Deerhunter musical group,” as they were introduced on the smallest stage late Sunday, must have felt a bit out of place due to the sparse crowd and intimate setting. But Bradford Cox’s group paid no mind for this one-off performance. While Eric Church and The Fray played to much bigger audiences, Deerhunter’s unique combination of shoegaze, noise-pop, and psych-rock offered a clear alternative to mainstream fare. An opening section of ‘Nothing Ever Happened” into “Hazel St” from the group’s early material was blissfully extended into jam territory, led by guitarist Locket Pundt — the elongated bridge between the songs sounded like a Lotus Plaza cut, another group that Pundt fronts. Highlights from Deerhunter’s most recent records, Halcyon Digest and Monomania, filled out the set, and another extended segment from “Desire Lines” directly into “Helicopter” hypnotized. As expected, Deerhunter delivered a transcendent set that felt like something out of a dream. -MF

For Better or Worse…

Although similar in many aspects to BottleRock’s first year, many issues were vastly improved while certain complications remained.

Improvements:

•The amount of general admission bathrooms seemed as though they nearly doubled this time around, making it a very easy process to get in and out for the least favorite part of any festivalgoer’s experience.

• Larger and more staff-operated water filling stations kept concert attendees well-hydrated.

• There was an increase in knowledgeable and friendly volunteer staff who were generally excited to help with questions.

• Food options were improved, further enhanced by vendors on foot providing quick access to snacks and beverages without having to leave your spot amidst even the largest crowds of the weekend.

Questionable Changes:

• The absence of last year’s indoor comedy showcases, which provided hilarious, air-conditioned entertainment away from the penetrable afternoon sun was disappointing.

• There were price increases and a lack of varietal options in the sponsored tasting rooms. Not being able to sample enough participating vineyards due to the $15 per glass price removed most concert goers from the “wine” identity of the festival.

• The wine pouches similar to Capri Sun were gone this year, and perhaps we should file this under “Improvements” since this meant there were way less “wombies” wondering the grounds this year.

• Encouragement of lawn chairs and blankets caused some spatial constraints throughout headliners sets and afternoon/evening crowds, particularly on Saturday. Although, those who set up vast camps by staking their claim early benefitted from the suggestion.

Remaining Issues:

• For those that partook in the festival shuttle service to the parking lots four miles away, transportation issues remained or worsened. Between going to the wrong lots and sparse directions available upon leaving the venue, the BRNV’s travel turmoil remained at the forefront of festivalgoer discrepancy.

• Corporate sponsorships somehow increased this year, as video advertisements with audio between sets didn’t feel right, especially when daily tickets already cost $150.

• Set scheduling was a bit of a problem considering this year’s larger crowds. Whereas most festivals will organize acts to start/finish at separate intervals throughout the day, crowds we’re releasing from all three stages at parallel times throughout the weekend, unleashing hoards of folks upon vendors and bathrooms at the same time.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: BottleRock, BottleRock 2014, BottleRock Napa, BottleRock Napa 2014, BottleRock Napa Valley, BottleRock Napa Valley 2014, Deerhunter, OutKast, The Cure, TV on the Radio, Weezer

tUnE-yArDs eye nonconformity through a glorious lens in SF

June 9, 2014 by Mike Frash 1 Comment

Photos by Pedro Paredes // Written by Mike Frash //

tUnE-yArDs with Sylvan Esso //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
June 6th, 2014 //

“It’s 2014 and we’re playing at the fucking Fillmore!” declared Merrill Garbus early in the set Friday as her eyes flickered with excitement. Known for her commanding gaze, the captivating centerpiece of tUnE-yArDs has fully embraced an eyeball motif in support of the incredibly addictive Nikki Nack. Garbus is surrounded by large eyes on stage, the show poster from the Fillmore features a piercing globular organ growing off a plant where a flower would normally be, and in the joyfully-insane video for “Water Fountain”, almost every shot contains artificial eyes or Garbus’ remarkable optical dexterity.

Accented makeup and glitter frame her sight, an innovative vision and expressive perspective that makes it difficult to take your eyes off her. tUnE-yArDs’ focus on eyes as a motif suitably reflects Garbus’ immaculate confidence and control amid pervasive themes of subverting conformity and growing paranoia, curating a transformative live music experience in the process — just don’t call her the “Real Thing”.

This night felt like a genuine two-for-one deal with fast-rising Sylvan Esso opening. Empowering female vocals and effective repetition was the connecting force between both duos this night, & the first act to perform inspired palpable crowd reactions with their minimalist-glitch approach. Singer Amelia Meath’s voice sparkles with the tone of Feist and the intonation of Regina Spektor, while Nick Sanborn’s live production hits the sweat spot of trending sound in 2014 — the wobbles and looping vocals are somehow familiar and fresh all at once. “H.S.K.T.” provided the most fun, upbeat action in the set, and “Coffee” was a strong example why this is a group to watch going forward.

Sylvan Esso’s engaging stage presence willed the audience to listen, and their expressive body language convinced most folks to move to the music instead of chat, a fate that befalls opening acts more than not. Often exhibiting mid-song patience, taking in each moment of downtempo ambiance, Sylvan Esso was an ideal pairing with tUnE-yArDs, further proven when Meath joined Merrill Garbus during tUnE-yArDs’ encore performance of the vocal-heavy “Rocking Chair”. Poised to break out much bigger in this viral music climate, Sylvan Esso should catapult upward as demand will likely dictate.

The song selection for the tUnE-yArDs set unsurprisingly focused on cuts from Nikki Nack, as almost every track from the record got attention. Flanked by female backup singers, Garbus relies less on looping than in the past, yet this cathartic repetition is still the backbone of most songs. Bringing in additional vocal support allows for a more organic approach to live production than past tours, letting Garbus focus on her powerful stage presence.

Technical precision is one of tUnE-yArDs’ biggest strengths, yet there’s still room for exploratory, drawn out moments. “Powa” extended into incredibly chaotic territory for the song’s outro. “Stop That Man” went on a risky journey that easily paid off with its industrial beats and overwhelming reverb vocals. Many new songs, including “Water Fountain” and “Sink-O”, jump into the refrain right away, contorting traditional strong structure in a way that makes the songs feel like pop music from the future. So many of these new songs give an intended feeling of anxiety, as if you’re being watched.

Driven by percussion, vocals and ecstatic hyperactivity, tUnE-yArDs win with a lighthearted, quirky mentality that skewers conformity. “Real Thing” blissfully critiques the notion of what a woman is supposed to look like while embracing true self. “Why are you afraid about pants size ten? Humadum, rumadum/ They’re chosen girls/ While you worry about chest size 6/ They’re winning the tricks…Ugly one be you, who you are.” Garbus goes out on the proverbial limb, bearing herself for all to see. It’s leadership like this that sets tUnE-yArDs apart.

This show had all the indications of an essential live performance; the music was thoroughly impacting, and the crowd was completely immersed and wide-eyed throughout, taking in tUnE-yArDs’ breathtaking sonic concoctions.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Sylvan Esso, The Fillmore, tUnE-yArDs

Mahgeetah and Incan Abraham make a trek to far off places

June 5, 2014 by Kevin J Quandt 1 Comment

Photos by Pedro Paredes // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Incan Abraham, Mahgeetah with Jordan Klassen //
Neck of the Woods — San Francisco
June 3rd, 2014 //

“I never come to the Richmond,” Mahgeetah’s enigmatic frontman Ryan Fisher jokingly quipped to the crowd. A fair observation, but the comment shined a brighter light onto those who made the pilgrimage to the ‘nether regions’ of San Francisco. Along with Canadian folk-rockers, Jordan Klassen, and LA popsters, Incan Abraham, it was Mahgeetah who left the biggest impression on a decent sized, midweek crowd at the still new-to-many venue that goes by Neck of the Woods.

Klassen and cohorts delivered an energetic set of high-country indie-pop, with a male/female vocal delivery that felt both genuine and original. It was Mahgeetah who took the stage next, the stage’s King-of-Limbs backdrop created a unique setting for this quartet to re-take the stage after a few months in the studio. Expect an impressive EP to drop this year – a follow-up to 2012’s full-length release, Heavy Baby.

On this night, the dedicated crowd was treated to a smattering of old and new. “Creature of Habit” was passionately belted out by guitarist JJ Mellon, a standout on the their LP that has become a treat on stage. Longtime favorite tune, “Long Shot”, was another highlight as the slow build from Fisher and band burst with energy and groove comparable to White Denim. The rhythm section, featuring Tim Tyson on bass and Alex Swain on percussion, has always been a strong suit for this San Francisco act, and tonight showed no exception. All hail Mahgeetah as they continue to be an important piece in the local music scene.

Incan Abraham closed out an increasingly fogged-in Clement Street evening Tuesday night. Having played a show with Mahgeetah down in their home turf, it was time for Incan to bring their patented LA-tinged pop to the City. One characteristic that stood out quickly was the melodic harmonizing taking place between the respective singing. Also, an added element of rhythm lended a more-dance oriented feel to their set compared to the previous acts.

Incan do represent a solid piece in the ever increasing Los Angeles/Silver Lake indie sound – in the vein of acts like Local Natives and Voxhaul Broadcast. All in all, they got the dwindling crowd moving on a tricky night, in a place that might as well been across a bridge or a tunnel.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Incan Abraham, Jordan Klassen, Mahgeetah, Neck of the Woods

The Faint light up The Indy for a Doom Abuse “danse” party

June 5, 2014 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish

The Faint with Reptar, Darren Keen //
The Independent – San Francisco
June 1st, 2014 //

The Faint returned to the Bay Area this past Sunday, bringing their electrifying brand of “danse-punk” to the Independent in SF for a three night run. Celebrating the release of their long-awaited 2014 album Doom Abuse, the Omaha, Nebraska natives took the intimate venue by signature laser storm with help from opening acts, Reptar and Darren Keen.

Last time the electronic powerhouse came through the Bay Area in 2012, they were celebrating the 10-year anniversary re-issue of their seminal Saddle Creek album, Danse Macabre. Previously filling a venue more than three times the size of the Independent, it was no surprise that this year’s Doom Abuse triple night tour stop was a near-immediately sold out.

Known for their high energy performances and mesmerizing stage show, the foursome commanded the packed venue of combustible fans shouting along to a set list pulling from the band’s illustrious catalogue of over 15 years-worth of material. Todd Fink kicked off the evening with a howling rendition of “Animal Needs”, a brand new track off of their 2014 release. Accompanied by support from Jacob Thiele on vocals and keys, Clark Baechle’s inimitable drumming and the guitar ingenuity of Dapose, the band burst onto the stage and quickly into a full-throttle assault of classic hits and crowd favorites.

Their penetrating light show and disorienting visuals washed over the voracious crowd, who remained in constant motion throughout the entire performance. Highlight tracks included recently dropped single “Evil Voices”, a scream along mid-set delivery of “Dropkick the Punks”, and the distorted, symbiotic pairing of “Scapegoat” and “Worked Up So Sexual” to close out the initial set. Exiting the stage for a brief moment, The Faint returned for an encore of “Lesson from the Darkness”, “Paranoiattack” and “Glass Danse”, thrashing along with the sea of die-hard fans, punctuating the night with a raging dance party.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: The Faint, The Independent

Live 105’s BFD festival lives up to its name

June 4, 2014 by Krystal Beez Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Krystal Beez //

Live 105’s BFD //
Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
June 1st, 2014 //

Live 105’s annual BFD festival has been around since 1994, and the festival has hosted A-list artists such as The White Stripes, The Killers, Garbage, Diplo, Snoop Dogg and Knife Party, to name a few. Over the years the festival has grown, selling out the last couple of years, and the Bay Area radio station hosts a Cheap-Ass Ticket Party for $10.53 when tickets went on sale (you know you have a good thing going when many people arrive at 6 a.m. for discounted tickets). This year, as 20,000 people descended on the Shoreline Amphitheatre, these five artists really stood out.

1. MS MR
MS MR’s performance was impressive, as Lizzy Plapinger’s vocals hit the mark while the group’s instrumentals were near flawless. Their alternative, dark wave sound translates well onto the stage, creating an immersive performance that felt special to witness. This duo, that also includes Max Hershenow (aka “MR”) is polished and popular enough to play the main stage at BFD — perhaps next time. If MS MR is playing in your area, do what you need to do to get yourself to the show.

2. AmpLive
Wow. Known best as half of the duo Zion I, this hip hop producer, performer & DJ got the Subsonic Tent going crazy! He dropped Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” into The Fugees’ “Ready Or Not” into “I Got 5 On It” into “Feelin Myself”, and everyone present within the range of AmpLive’s speakers was most definitely feeling themselves. Check him out whenever he’s town for a proper dance party.

3. Phantogram
Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter are no strangers to performing in festival environments, and that was apparent on Sunday at the main stage. Phantogram gave an exceptional performance, and it was delightful to hear them play a few tracks from their debut LP, Eyelid Movies. Catch them at First City Festival in Monterey this August to see for yourself.

4. RAC
Another artist that kept us dancing at the Subsonic Tent was electronic/rock remix outfit RAC. No surprise here, RAC live is always going to be a dance party that pops off. They played a lot of their remixes as well as originals from Strangers, released earlier this year.

5. M.I.A.
M.I.A. clearly still has it going on. Her newer material from the underrated Matangi impressed on main stage — the only question: Shouldn’t she be headlining BFD at this point over Foster the People?

Overall, BFD continually delivers a diverse lineup. The main stage and festival stage contain eclectic acts, ranging from established artists to the up-and-coming next big things. The Subsonic Tent is a perpetual dance party, and the Local Stage is a real treat for Bay Area music fans, as it’s often a jumping off point for many local artists. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Waters, French Cassettes & The Hundred Days break out soon. Until next year!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Amp Live, BFD, Festival, Live 105, M.I.A., MS MR, Phantogram, RAC, Shoreline Amphitheatre

Chet Faker plays to sold-out Roxy in LA

June 3, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Chet Faker with Sweater Beats //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
May 29th, 2014 //

It’s amazing how quickly things can change for aspiring artists in today’s music industry.

Just ask Chet Faker.

It was only a little more than three years ago that the relatively unknown singer, songwriter and producer from Melbourne, Australia, struck Internet gold with his cover of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” propelling him to No. 1 on the Hype Machine charts in a matter of days.

Fast forward to now, and the word has officially gotten out about 24-year-old Nicholas James Murphy, who continues to pack venues across the U.S. following the release of his debut LP Built on Glass (read our review here) in April.

But what is it about Chet Faker that has made him such a must-see act all of a sudden?

To be honest, I’m not quite sure. Because for all the hype Murphy has garnered over the past few months, something felt missing when he took the stage at The Roxy Theatre last week.

Headlining the second of two sold-out nights in LA, Murphy warmed us up with older cuts like “I’m Into You” and “Terms and Conditions” from his 2012 EP Thinking in Textures before eventually digging into Built on Glass. And although it was refreshing to see him create new adaptations of “Blush” and “1998,” the energy never seemed to reach a threshold inside the diminutive Sunset Strip club.

With an arsenal of production equipment sprawled across the table and his Rhodes piano off to his right, Murphy attempted to recreate many of the melodies that won me over less than two months ago when I first sat down to listen to Built on Glass.

Yet, it was not long before I realized that Murphy’s music, as refreshing and soulful as it is, may not be best suited for a live setting after all. There are some artists whose studio work far surpasses their live shows, and while that’s not to say that the disparity for Murphy is totally transparent, it’s certainly noticeable.

For someone whose music is as refreshing as Murphy’s, it’s still hard to enjoy watching a musician turn knobs and press buttons, regardless of his true talents. That’s not to take anything away from Murphy’s vocal capabilities, but it felt slightly ironic for him to candidly share some of his thoughts on the current state of the music industry.

“Lots of people are spending lots of money to see some dude press play and jump around on stage,” he told the crowd midway through his 75-minute set, bridging the gap from one song to the next.

That obviously wasn’t the case at The Roxy, but at the same time, Murphy didn’t appear to be putting on a clinic in musicianship, either. Instead, he would go on to perform “No Diggity” all by himself, dashing my hopes for the guitarist and drummer he had brought on tour to join him for the Grammy-winning tune.

Still, Murphy couldn’t get past the song’s first verse before stopping to tell his fans to put away their camera phones.

“I give you permission to look around you, and if someone next to you has a phone out, to knock it out of their hands,” he said, even if no one actually followed his advice.

It was a strange request from a man whose fans have become so gaga over him lately that one of them even screamed, “I want to lick your beard!”

Thankfully for some of us, there would be no beard licking on this night.

Rather, we were treated to an alternate version of “Drop the Game,” a track Murphy worked on with fellow countryman Flume for their Lockjaw project last year.

But there were also standout tracks from Built on Glass — “Gold” and “Melt” are two that immediately come to mind — that we never got to hear. Murphy at least saved one of his best for last, stripping down his hit single “Talk Is Cheap” to just piano and vocals during his one-song encore.

It was a somewhat anticlimactic ending to a performance that proved just how hard it can be to make it as a solo act — and even more, keep the flame burning bright.

For Chet Faker though, that could be easier said than done.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO SHOW.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Chet Faker, Sweater Beats, The Roxy Theatre

Deap Vally’s hard-rockin’ sound is gritty, raw fun

June 3, 2014 by Nikki de Martini Leave a Comment

Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Nikki de Martini //

Band of Skulls with Deap Vally //
The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco
May 22nd, 2014 //

The little ladies of Deap Vally brought big, bluesy rock sounds to The Regency Ballroom when they opened for Band of Skulls last month.

The LA-based duo took the stage in SF looking like “bandaides” straight out of Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous as they rocked a bohemian hodgepodge of ruffles, feathers, leather and lace. Yet their bold music emulated the 1970’s rock ‘n’ roll bands of which the movie is based.

Fans cheered as the hard-rockin’ grunge-sludge heard throughout their debut album, Sistrionix, roared off the stage, engulfing the room with gritty, raw fun.

Ripping massive guitar and pounding-heavy drums hit the crowd, leaving them head-banging and toe-tapping along to every outspoken song.

Shouting hardly ceased as the set rolled on and grew louder when Lindsey told fans how happy they were to be back in SF, showcasing their fun loving wit by adding “it just smells better…if you know what I mean.”

The pairing of Lindsey Troy tearing it up on guitar with her deep, almost raspy, vocal range combined with her redheaded counterpart Julie Edwards killing it on the drum kit is comparable to the likes of The White Stripes. Like The Stripes, Deap Vally are two passionate musicians, playing undisputable garage-blues rock, making a lot of enjoyable noise while being damn good at it.

Deap Vally left San Francisco more than ready to keep rockin’ with the headlining act, Band of Skulls.

Next time they hit the road, it should likely be as headliners.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM BAND OF SKULLS IN LA.

Deap Vally setlist:

1) Baby I Call Hell
2) Gonna Make My Own Money
3) Ain’t Fair
4) Lies
5) Grunge Bond
6) 6 Feet Under
7) Walk of Shame
8) End of the World

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Band of Skulls, Deap Vally, The Regency Ballroom

Five emerging artists you need to hear

June 3, 2014 by Krystal Beez 2 Comments

Written by Krystal Beez //

Get familiar with these five emerging artists.

1. POWERS

Who: Mike Del Rio and Crista Ru

Origin: New York/Los Angeles

What they’re about: There’s not a whole lot of information about this secretive duo. Both Del Rio and Ru have written songs for Selena Gomez, Icona Pop and Kylie Minogue, just to name a few. But don’t let those names fool you. The music that POWERS delivers is a wide range of genres (think future pop-rock-indie-soul), held together by their strong songwriting skills. Their second release, “Money”, is more of an electro-soul track, while “Touch The World” is indie-pop-rock gold. Both songs are anthems. The official lyric video for “Touch The World” was just released last week, watch it below.

File next to: NONONO, IYES.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

2. MACHINEHEART

Who: Stevie Scott, Carman Kubanda, Trevor Kelley, Jake Randle and Harrison Allen

Origin: Los Angeles, California

What they’re about: machineheart makes new indie pop at its finest, and Stevie Scott’s engaging vocals are the perfect complement. Their debut singles “Circles” and “Another Me” will both have you pressing repeat. Also make sure you check out their latest release “Snow”, which is not as upbeat as their other songs, but it is just as good and just as infectious. machineheart are definitely a band to keep on your radar.

File next to: Rilo Kiley, Kyla LaGrange, Foster the People.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

3. LAURA WELSH

Who: Laura Welsh

Origin: Staffordshire, Britain

What she’s about: Laura Welsh describes her songs as ‘hypnotic and kind of like electric soul-pop’. She has collaborated with producer Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion) and on “Cold Front” with Robin Hannibal (of Rhye). She moved from Staffordshire to London to pursue a career in music as lead singer of a band. The band collapsed, and Welsh used that time to write new material and meet people with the same musical ideas as her. Her most recent collaboration sees her featured on the Gorgon City track, “Here For You”. While the original is an amazing dance-electro jam perfect for summer, Welsh recorded an acoustic version that really highlights the strength and beauty of her voice (watch below). Hopefully she releases her debut album soon, followed by an international tour that stops in San Francisco.

File next to: Jessie Ware, Banks, Broods.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

4. KWABS

Who: Kwabena Adjepong

Origin: London, Britain

What he’s about: The 23-year-old Ghanaian-born singer grew up in the UK and studied jazz at the Royal Academy of Music. Kwabs creates soul music that fully embraces the futuristic sound of 2015, similar to fellow UK acts Sampha and AlunaGeorge. His voice is simply amazing, evoking so much soulfulness, especially when performing live. And with production coming from Sohn (“Wrong or Right”) and Plan B (“Pray For Love”), you’re going to be hearing a lot more from Kwabs. Watch a live performance of “Pray For Love” on BBC Radio 1Xtra below.

File next to: James Blake, Sampha, AlunaGeorge.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

5. MARLENE

Who: Marlene Strand

Origin: Stockholm, Sweden

What she’s about: Marlene is one of those artists that you hear sing one song, and then you play that song over and over until they release a new song. And then you play that song over and over and so on. From “Bon Voyage” to “Stay Awake” to “Indian Summer” the jams just keep on coming! The Swedish songstress has just the right amounts of the catchy chorus, infectious rhythms and powerful voice to be the next big Swedish import. Her music is so simple, yet so rich and full. She recently released a five track EP titled Indian Summer that you should listen to while driving to the beach. No tour dates are announced as of yet, so be sure to check out a live performance in the video below.

File next to: Foxes, Tove Lo, Say Lou Lou.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

What emerging artists are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, New Music Tagged With: British, Electro, Indie, Kwabs, Laura Welsh, Los Angeles, machineheart, Marlene, New Artists, New Music, New York, pop, POWERS, Soul, Swedish

PHOTOS: Crystal Fighters at the Indy 5/29

June 2, 2014 by Pedro Paredes Leave a Comment

By Pedro Paredes //

Crystal Fighters with Wunder Wunder //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 29th, 2014 //

Last Thursday night, San Francisco welcomed back british band Crystal Fighters, who performed at a sold-out Independent after a year since the last time they played in the Bay Area. Even though their return was not accompanied by new material (their last release was Cave Rave, 2013) their show was anything but old news. Crystal Fighters have established a reputation for their energized live performances, and Thursday night was no exception, with an upbeat crowd that danced and sang along to the electro-folk sounds of a band that the Bay Area will probably be seeing again.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Crystal Fighters, The Independent, Wunder Wunder

PHOTOS: Elbow at Fox Theater Oakland 5/27

June 2, 2014 by Sam Heller 1 Comment

By Sam Heller //

Elbow with John Grant //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland, CA
May 27, 2014 //

British quintet Elbow performed at the Fox Theater Oakland last week with Colorado singer-songwriter John Grant, formerly associated with the Denver-based alt-rock band The Czars. Sam Heller was on hand to capture the moment.

READ OUR REPORT FROM THE LOS ANGELES SHOW.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Elbow, Fox Theater Oakland, John Grant

Elbow charms packed Wiltern in return to LA

June 2, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Elbow with John Grant //
The Wiltern – Los Angeles
May 28th, 2014 //

If you’ve ever seen Guy Garvey in action before, you may already know that the Elbow frontman enjoys engaging with the band’s fans quite a bit.

The 40-year-old Mancunian, after all, has never been shy when it comes to sharing his feelings with an audience during a live performance.

But with the English alt-rockers wrapping up their 12-date, North American tour in LA last week, Garvey was in quite the mood at the historic Wiltern.

“You have such a beautiful country here,” he proclaimed at one point in between songs.

It would be just one of several compliments Garvey would pay us over the course of the night, though none would be bolder than when he declared that the almost two-hour show was the quintet’s favorite of the tour “by far.”

Whether it was just another lesson in crowd-pleasing from Garvey or actually a statement of sincerity, it’s hard to know for sure. But from the permanent smile plastered across Garvey’s face, I wanted to believe he meant every word he said.

Of course, it’s not all that often that Elbow gets to visit Southern California, with its last appearance coming more than two years ago in support of 2011’s Build a Rocket Boys!

So when Garvey and his four bandmates — Mark Potter (guitar, backing vocals), Craig Potter (keyboards, piano), Pete Turner (bass, backing vocals) and Richard Jupp (drums, percussion) — do get the chance to play in LA these days, they make sure to leave their fans with some lifelong memories.

On this latest pit stop, the 2008 Mercury Prize winners were in town to showcase the newest material in its catalog by way of The Take Off and Landing of Everything (read our review here), still plenty ripe after its mid-March release on Concord Records.

But Elbow’s sixth full-length studio album and its new record label haven’t been the only developments of late for a band whose members have all experienced significant changes in their personal lives — whether it’s been children, romance or breakup — over the past couple of years.

Garvey, for one, has had plenty of emotional baggage to overcome after splitting up with his girlfriend of 10 years during the making of The Take Off and Landing of Everything, prompting him to even rewrite some of the lyrics he had prepared for the 10-track LP.

Yet, at the nearly sold-out Wiltern, you wouldn’t have ever known that from listening to Garvey, as he dedicated song after song to the crowd — including one to a couple on its first date — and later graciously offered his gin and tonic to an overzealous woman standing in the first row.

The band, meanwhile, navigated its way through a 15-song setlist that was highlighted more by a few favorites off The Seldom Seen Kid (“The Bones of You” and “Grounds for Divorce”) than by anything from The Take Off and Landing of Everything. Elbow, in fact, only played a total of four songs from its new album, spending just enough time introducing cuts like “Charge” and “Real Life (Angel)” before reacquainting us with its older, more established work.

That may not have been more evident than during the Manchester outfit’s encore, which opened with the deliberate, yet sorrowful “Lippy Kids” and climaxed into hit single “One Day Like This” for the final push of the evening. For those who were in attendance, it marked a special moment for a band that has emerged as one of the UK’s most successful rock acts for close to two decades now.

Because if this was all the Elbow we were going to get for the next two or three years, it was everything we could have possibly wanted.

Setlist:
Charge
The Bones of You
New York Morning
Real Life (Angel)
The Night Will Always Win
Fly Boy Blue/Lunette
The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
Great Expectations
Scattered Black and Whites
Mirrorball
The Birds
Grounds for Divorce
My Sad Captains

Encore:
Lippy Kids, One Day Like This

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE OAKLAND SHOW.

Filed Under: Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: Elbow, Guy Garvey, The Wiltern

Zion I, MKSMTH, 1-O.a.k. bring genre-bending hip-hop back home

May 30, 2014 by BenJamin Wallen Leave a Comment

By Benjamin Wallen //

Zion I with MKSMTH, 1-O.a.k. //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 16th, 2014 //

Genre-bending hip-hop, in many ways, is what the Bay Area eats up, and for good reason. 1-O.a.k., playing with a live band, revved the house up on point — the music felt super tight throughout. MKSMTH then took the stage with special guest Daghe, bringing a number of explosive hip-hop tracks with bangin’ beats. Bay Area locals Zion I took the stage shortly after to a pumped-up Independent, and a packed crowd was giving the energy back to all the performers. Zion I’s presence on stage is undeniable, and their vibe is as contagious as ever. Combine that with incredible flows, and it was a connected performance filled with plenty of UMPH!

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: 1-O.A.K., MKSMTH, The Independent, Zion I

Chet Faker’s soulful performance takes the short road to body & soul

May 29, 2014 by Pedro Paredes Leave a Comment

By Pedro Paredes //

Chet Faker with Sweater Beats //
The Independent – San Francisco
May 26th, 2014 //

A sold-out Independent gave Memorial Day weekend a smooth farewell last Monday night, as an eclectic crowd danced their troubles away to the soul-influenced sound of Australian producer Chet Faker. Arriving to San Francisco by the hand of Built on Glass, his first LP, Faker delivered a solid performance that made some of us fall back in love with R&B, as the notes coming from his Rhodes piano took the short road toward your body and soul. Starting the show on his own and ending as a 3-piece band, the native from Melbourne kept the audience energized and engaged until the very last moment, when it was time to go and say goodbye to a Monday that felt more like a (groovy) Friday.

READ OUR REPORT FROM THE LOS ANGELES SHOW.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Chet Faker, The Independent

Holy Fuck showcase new material at The Roxy

May 28, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

By Josh Herwitt //

Holy Fuck //
The Roxy Theatre – West Hollywood, CA
May 22nd, 2014 //

Canadian electronic outfit Holy Fuck played their first LA show in quite a while, headlining the latest installment of Red Bull’s Sound Select series. Despite its most recent studio album Latin coming out more than four years ago, the Toronto quartet unleashed a handful of new songs during its hour-long set at The Roxy Theatre. Josh Herwitt dropped by the renowned Sunset Strip venue last week to take it all in.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Holy Fuck, Red Bull Sound Select, The Roxy Theatre

Damien Jurado takes the solo road in SF

May 28, 2014 by Sam Heller 1 Comment

By Sam Heller //

Damien Jurado //
The Independent — San Francisco
May 20th, 2014 //

Damien Jurado wooed the completely captive crowd at the Independent last week with his mesmerizing tunes and acerbic banter. The Seattle-based singer-songwriter said there was no way he could replicate his excellent 2014 record Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son live, so he decided a solo acoustic tour was the best alternative (listen to the album below). In a rather unusual but revealing move, Jurado conducted a Q&A with the audience. He was asked about his most expensive purchase, which he denied to answer, and if there were any hopes of acoustic albums in the future. He responded by labeling acoustic albums “boring”, and that he would unlikely make one.

Sam Heller was on the scene to capture the moment, saying he had “never seen a sold-out Indy show so quiet and attentive.”

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Damien Jurado, The Independent

PHOTOS: Cool Ghouls, Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel at The Chapel 5/15

May 28, 2014 by BenJamin Wallen 1 Comment

By Benjamin Wallen //

Cool Ghouls, Mr. Elevator & the Brain Hotel with Mane //
The Chapel — San Francisco
May 15th, 2014 (Thursday) //

San Francisco’s rising rock ‘n’ roll outfit Cool Ghouls were ‘Ballin’ at The Chapel a couple weeks back for their co-headlining gig with Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel. Mane slashed away to get things going early, and Benjamin Wallen was on the scene for the snaps.

Filed Under: Featured, Photos Tagged With: Cool Ghouls, Mane, Mr. Elevator & the Brain Hotel, The Chapel

PHOTOS: Santa Cruz Blues Festival 2014

May 27, 2014 by Susan J Weiand Leave a Comment

Photos by Susan J Weiand //

The 22nd Annual Santa Cruz Blues Festival //
Aptos Village Park — Aptos, CA
May 24th-25th, 2014 //

Set in beautiful Aptos Village Park in nearby Aptos, Calif., the Santa Cruz Blues Festival has hosted many blues legends over years, including BB King, Albert Collins, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles. This year, some talented new-comers and a couple of heavy hitters graced the stage during the two-day festival.

Great weather and enthusiastic audiences provided a backdrop to the music. Saturday saw performances by bluesy diva Nikki Hill, a rare appearance by Dave Alvin and his brother Phil Alvin, powerhouse funksters Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and rootsy bluesman Tab Benoit from New Orleans, and the legendary Gregg Allman and his band. Sunday brought guitar-playing rising star Ana Popovic, Black Crowe’s Rich Robinson with his own band, crowd-pleasing Jackie Greene, Vintage Trouble (who blew the crowd away with its powerful R&B and stage presence) and popular crooner Chris Isaak.